Several restaurants in New England, including two at the Foxwoods Resort Casino, are enhancing the customer experience by giving customers the ability to pay their restaurant and bar tabs using a smartphone and the Tabbedout app.

Big Night Entertainment Group operates several dining and nightlife destinations around New England. The new mobile payments service integrated with its point-of-sale system fits the company’s goal of providing the best dining and entertainment experience for customers.

“Our customers are constantly on the move and Micro’s Mobile Payment Solution powered by Tabbedout, allows them to pay their tabs effortlessly, at their own pace, which we think will be a huge asset on a busy night at any of our venues,” said Randy Greenstein, a partner of Big Night Entertainment Group, Boston.

“It’s a convenient and efficient way to pay your tab at a restaurant or bar,” he said.

Special mobile offers
Big Night will deploy the technology at four of its venues: SHRINE, The Scorpion Bar and High Rollers at the Foxwoods Resort Casino/MGM Grand and Red Lantern in Boston.

Each location will have in-venue materials that will let consumers know the service is available such as table tents, posters, window clings and register stickers.

The service is also being promoted via email newsletters and social media. Additionally, there will be special promotions for Tabbedout users such as drink specials and other discounted items.

Each time Tabbedout users open a new tab, a random secret code is displayed on the screen.

This is the only information users need to provide the bartender or server, who enters the code into the Micro’s point-of-sale system and all orders placed from that point forward are linked to the opened tab.

Users can also share their open tab to a social network and view the details of the tab in real time. When they are ready to pay, they can enter a tip and pay with the touch of a button.

Tabbedout allows users to store credit card information directly on their phone, encrypted and under passphrase protection.

The Tabbedout application is available for free on both iPhone and Android smartphones. It integrates with each venue’s MICROS point-of-sale system.

“Our customers are loyal and we want to do everything we possibly can to return the favor by enhancing their experience,” Mr. Greenstein said.

“We also push ourselves to continually find new ways to make our venues as intriguing and appealing as possible to potential new patrons,” he said.

“Tabbedout helps us accomplish both of these goals.”

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York